Multiple boom apparatus



J. M. EITEL March 28, 1967 MULTIPLE BOOM APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 20, 1965 INVENTOR. Jay M. Eiiel /71% @MQZQ Aiiorneys March28, 1967 ElTEL MULTIPLE BOOM APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20,1965 Aflorneys United States Patent Cfilice 3,3lll,l3 Patented Mar. 28,1967 3,311,193 MULTEPLE BQQM APPARATUS Jay M. Eitel, Los Altos, Calif.,assignor to Telsta Corporation, San Carlos, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,683 Claims. (Cl. 182-148)This invention relates to a multiple boom apparatus and moreparticularly to a multiple boom apparatus mounted on a selfpropelledvehicle.

'In construction and maintenance jobs, there are often requirements forlifting long pieces of pipe, conduit or other pieces of material andplacing them in a horizontal position. In addition, there is often arequirement for scaffolds or catwalks for workmen to carry outmaintenance inside and outside of plants, and other types of operations.The equipment heretofore available for such purposes has not beenparticularly suitable. There is, therefore, a need for equipment whichcan be utilized for such purposes.

in general, it is an object of the present invention to provide amultiple boom apparatus which can be utilized for a variety offunctions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple boom apparatusof the above character which is mounted on a single self-propelledvehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple boom apparatusof the above character which can be utilized for lifting elongateelements such as pipe or conduit and positioning them in a horizontalposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple boo-m apparatusof the above character which can be utliized for supporting a catwalk orscaffolding upon which workmen may walk and which can be controlled bythe workmen on the catwalk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple boom apparatusof the above character in which the booms can be stowed in anout-of-theway position so that the apparatus can travel down a highway.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple boom apparatusof the above character which can be readily placed in operation.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing escription in which the preferred embodiment is set forth indetail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a multiple boom apparatusincorporating the present invention showing the booms in use.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the multiple boom apparatus incorporatingthe present invention with the boom structures stowed in anout-of-the-way position but with individual workmans platforms.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2.

In general, the present invention consists of a mobile platform. Twoseparate lifting equipments are mounted upon the platform. Each of thelifting equipments in cludes an elongate boom structure in which theouter end of the boom structure can be raised and lowered about ahorizontal axis, rotated about a vertical axis and extended andretracted. The boom structures can be positioned in such a manner sothat a workmans platform or scaffold can be connected between the outerends of the boom structures to provide a supporting surface for workmen.

As shown in the drawings, the multiple boom apparatus consists of aself-propelled vehicle 11 having front and rear wheels 12 and 13, and achassis (not shown) upon which a platform 14 is mounted. A cab 16 ismounted on the front end of the chassis and contains means (not shown)for supplying motive power to the wheels 12 and 13 for advancing thevehicle.

At least two separate lifting equipments are mounted upon the platform14. Each of the lifting equipments 18 and 19 can be of any suitable typesuch as one with a extensible boom structure shown in the drawings, oralternatively, it can be a boom structure of the articulated type. Thelifting equipments 18 and 19 provided in the drawings are substantiallyidentical.

Each lifting equipment is provided with a load supporting structure orturret 21 which is mounted upon the platform 14 in a manner as shown inUnited States Letters Patent No. 2,841,404. As disclosed in that patent,the load supporting structure 21 is mounted for rotation about avertical axis. An extensible boom structure 22 is mounted upon the loadsupporting structure 21 for movement about a horizontal axis formed bythe pivot shaft 23. The extensible boom structure 22 is provided with anouter boom section 26 and an inner telescoping boom section 27. Means isprovided which includes a chain 28 for raising and lowering the outerend of the boom structure 22 about the horizontal axis formed by theshaft 23 and is generally of the type disclosed in United States LettersPatents No. 3,055,459 and No. 2,996,141. Means is also provided forextending and retracting inner telescoping boom section 27 with respectto the outer boom section 26 and includes a drive motor 29 which isgenerally of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.2,896,750.

As disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,627,560 each of thelifts can be readily provided with controls which are accessible to anoperator on the platform 19 for controlling the movement of the outerends of the boom structures 22 and, if necessary, to operate the boomstructures in unison. With such controls, it can be seen that the boomstructures can be readily used for lifting elongate elements such aspipe, conduit and the like and keep them in a horizontal position whilethey are being raised and actually position them horizontally if such isrequired at the time they are released from the boom structures.

When it is desired to utilize the multiple boom apparatus for supportingworkmen and the like, it is merely necessary to place a large scaffoldor platform 31 between the outer ends of the boom structures 22. Asshown in the drawings, such a large platform or scaffold 31 can consistof a horizontal bottom walkway 32. Rigid structural end members 33 aremounted upon the walkway 32 and extend therefrom in a verticaldirection. The cross brace 34 interconnects the vertical members 33. Theplatform 31 can be connected to the outer ends of the boom structures 22in any suitable manner. Thus, for example, the end structures 33 arereleasably connected to the end of the boom structures by pins or bolts(not shown).

Means is provided for damping movement of the platform so that workmenwill not he accidentally spilled therefrom and consists of dampingdevices 36 connected between the outer end of the boom structure and theend structures 33 of the platform. Thus, with the arrangement shown, itcan be seen that the platform 31 can pivot with respect to the outerends of the boom structures 22 so that the walkway 32 will always remainin a horizontal position as the outer ends of the boom structures areraised and lowered. In addition, it can be seen that the platform isstabilized by the damping devices 36 so that workmen will not beaccidentally spilled therefrom. If necessary, and if the work isparticularly hazardous, additional braces, such as braces 34, can beprovided on the other side of the platform to prevent workmen fromaccidentally falling therefrom.

Normally, it is desirable that the workmen on the platform be able tocontrol the positions of the boom structures 22. For that reason, acontrol device 41 has been provided for each of the lift equipments.These are mounted on opposite ends of the platform 31 as shown in FIGURE1 of the drawings. The control mechanisms 41 are of a type described inUnited States Letters Patent No. 2,841,404.

Hydraulically controlled Outriggers 46 of a type well known to thoseskilled in the art are mounted on the platform 14 and are provided forstabilizing the platform 14 during use of the boom structures 22 if suchis required.

The operation and use of the multiple boom apparatus may now be brieflydescribed as follows. With the scaffolding 31 connected between theouter ends of the booms, the apparatus can be utilized for a largenumber of construction and maintenance jobs. For example, it can bereadily used by painters to eliminate the use of ladders, rope-loweredscaffolds and the like. To use the same, it is only necessary for thepainters on the walkway 32 to operate the control mechanisms 41 inunison so that boom structures would be raised and lowered, extended andretracted, and rotated at substantially the same time so that theplatform will always remain on a relatively stable horizontal plane toprevent workmen from being accidentally spilled therefrom.

The appratus also can be utilized with a platform inside plants forchanging lamps within a plant and doing other maintenance andconstruction operations which must be carried out at a substantialelevation.

When is it no longer desired to use the elongate platform 31 on themultiple boom structures 22, the platform can be removed therefrom andstowed in a suitable location.

The lifting equipments on the vehicle can then be utilized for othertypes of lifting operations. For example, the two boom structures couldbe utilized as cranes for raising very long lengths of conduit and pipeand maintaining them in a horizontal position and then placing them in ahorizontal position. This can be accomplished by the use of conventionalrigging secured to the end of the boom structures and tied to the pipeor other elongate elements. The boom structures then can be controlledby an operator on the platform 14 who causes movement of the boomstructures in synchronism as hereinbefore described to accomplish thedesired task.

Also, when an elongate workmans platform 31 is not being used, the boomstructures can be provided with conventional workmans baskets 51, eachof which has a control mechanism 52 mounted therein for controlling thelift. In such case, the baskets 51 are carried by a pair of arms 53secured to the outer end of the inner boom section 27, as shown inFIGURES 2 and 3. After the large elongate platform 31 has been removedfrom the boom structures 22, the boom structures 22 can be stored inpositions similar to those indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 so that thevehicle can travel down the highway. When the vehicle has arrived at thedesired location, the boom structures can readily be positioned in thedesired locations and, if necessary, the elongate platform 31 connectedthereto and the entire apparatus placed in operation.

The apparatus shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 can be utilized with the separateand individual workmans baskets 51 shown therein if so desired.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided a new andimproved multiple boom apparatus which has many advantageous featuresfor use on a variety of maintenance and in construction chores. It alsois a type of apparatus which can be utilized by relatively unskilledpersonnel.

I claim:

1. In a multiple boom apparatus, a platform, first and second liftingequipments mounted upon the platform and spaced from each other, each ofsaid lifting equipments having an elongate boom structure with its outerend adapted to be raised and lowered about a horizontal axis, rotatedabout a vertical axis and extended and retracted, controls forcontrolling the movement of the outer end of the boom structure and ahorizontal walkway connected to the outer ends of the boom structures ofthe first and second lifting equipments.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said controls for each of the liftingequipments are accessible from the walkway.

3. In a multiple boom apparatus, a self-propelled vehicle having aplatform, first and second lifting equipments mounted upon the platformin spaced relationship, each of said lifting equipments including a boomstructure in which the outer end of the boom structure can be raised andlowered with respect to a horizontal axis, rotated with respect to avertical axis, and extended and retracted toward and away from theplatform, and a workmans platform removably connected between the outerends of the boom structures and movable with the outer ends of the boomstructures.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein a control mechanism accessible fromthe platform is provided for each of the lifting equipments.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said boom structures are of theextensible type, said lifting equipments being mounted on substantiallyopposite ends of the platform, said boom structures when said workmansplatform is removed therefrom being movable into generally parallelhorizontal and vertical planes extending longitudinally of the platform.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS3/1960 Germany. 7/1904 Great Britain.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A MULTIPLE BOOM APPARATUS, A PLATFORM, FIRST AND SECOND LIFTINGEQUIPMENTS MOUNTED UPON THE PLATFORM AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, EACH OFSAID LIFTING EQUIPMENTS HAVING AN ELONGATE BOOM STRUCTURE WITH ITS OUTEREND ADAPTED TO BE RAISED AND LOWERED ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, ROTATEDABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS AND EXTENDED AND RETRACTED, CONTROLS FORCONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF THE OUTER END